NASA Over the Moon for Energy Efficiency

New building saves the agency $3.6 million annually

While NASA researchers look to the stars, its facility team stays grounded with energy efficiency. The Integrated Engineering Services Building (IESB) at the NASA Langley Research Center requires 60% less energy to operate than other campus properties and will save the agency $3.6 million per year in operations and maintenance costs.

The LEED Gold building has been in operation since October 2014. Eight outdated and inefficient facilities encompassing 172,000 square feet were demolished and replaced with the smaller but more efficient 138,000-square-foot IESB facility. Building features include energy efficient lighting and control systems, perimeter daylight harvesting with time-of-day lighting control, and high performance insulating glass with exterior solar shading.

A hybrid geothermal system for high cooling demand applications was incorporated with a 60-ton supplementary fluid cooler to complete the cooling demand in the summer months. IESB is also expected to use 35.1% renewable power obtained through accredited certificates over a two-year period.

Consolidating buildings resulted in a 34,000-square-foot increase in available green space. The site supports two water retention areas to minimize stormwater runoff, and potable water use was reduced by 47.2%. The building was recently recognized for its commitment to sustainability with a Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Better Buildings Award by the DOE.